Ye men of Galilee, why wonder you, looking up to heaven? alleluia. He shall so come as you have seen Him going up into heaven, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. -- (Ps. 44. 2). O clap your hands, all ye nations; shout unto God, with the voice of exultation. V.: Glory to the Father . . . -- Ye men of Galilee, why wonder you . . .

COLLECT.--Grant, we beseech Thee, almighty God: that we, who believe Thine only-begotten Son, our Redeemer, to have ascended on this day into heaven, may also ourselves dwell in mind amid heavenly things. Through the same Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost . . .

EPISTLE ¤ Acts 1. 1-11
Lesson from the Acts of the Apostles.

[Our Lord's instructions to His disciples. Ascension into Heaven of Our Lord.]

The former treatise I made, O Theophilus, of all things which Jesus began to do and to teach, until the day on which, giving commandments by the Holy Ghost to the Apostles whom He had chosen, He was taken up: to whom also He showed Himself alive after His Passion by many proofs, for forty days appearing to them and speaking of the Kingom of God. And eating together with them, He commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but should wait for the promise of the Father, which you have heard (saith He) by My mouth; for John indeed baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. They therefore who were come together asked Him, saying: Lord, wilt Thou at this time restore again the kingdom of Israel? But He said to them: It is not for you to know the times or moments which the Father hath put in His own power: but you shall receive the power of the Holy Ghost coming upon you, and you shall be witnesses unto Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the uttermost part of the earth. And when He had said these things, while they looked on, He was raised up: and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And while they were beholding Him going up to heaven, behold two men stood by them in white garments, who also said: Ye men of Galilee, why stand you looking up to heaven? This Jesus, who is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come as you have seen Him going into heaven.

Alleluia, alleluia. V.: God is ascended with a shout, and the Lord with the sound of a trumpet. Alleluia. V.: (Ps. 67. 18). The Lord is in Sinai, in the holy place; ascending on high He hath led captivity captive.

GOSPEL ¤ Mark 16. 14-20
 Continuation of the holy Gospel according to St. Mark.

[Instructions of Our Lord Jesus Christ to His disciples: He sends them into the whole world to preach the Gospel.]

At that time Jesus appeared to the eleven as they were at table: and He upbraided them with their incredulity and hardness of heart, because they did not believe them who had seen Him after He was risen again. And He said to them: Go ye into the whole world and preach the Gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved: but he that believeth not shall be condemned. And these signs shall follow them that believe: In My Name they shall cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they shall drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay their hands upon the sick, and they shall recover. And the Lord Jesus, after He had spoken unto them, was taken up into heaven and sitteth on the right hand of God. But they going forth preached everywhere, the Lord working withal, and confirming the word with signs that followed.

After the Gospel of the High Mass, the paschal candle, a figure of the risen Christ, is extinguished. It is not lighted again, except for the blessing of the baptismal font, on the Vigil of Pentecost.

OFFERTORY ¤ Ps. 46. 6

Ascendit Deus in jubilatione, et Dominus in voce tubae, alleluia.

God is ascended with a shout, and the Lord with the sound of a trumpet, alleluia.

SECRET.--Accept, O Lord, the gifts we offer up to Thee, for the glorious Ascension of Thy Son: and mercifully grant that we may be freed from present perils and attain unto everlasting life. Through the same our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity . . .

It is truly meet and just, right and for our salvation, that we should at all times, and in all places, give thanks unto Thee, O holy Lord, Father almighty, everlasting God: through Christ our Lord. Who, after His Resurrection, appeared openly to all His disciples, and, while they looked on, was taken up into heaven, that He might grant unto us to be sharers in His own divinity. And therefore, with Angels and Archangels, with Thrones and Dominations, and with all the hosts of the heavenly army, we sing the hymn of Thy glory, evermore saying:

Communicating, and keeping this most holy day on which Thine only-begotten Son our Lord set at the right hand of Thy glory the substance of our frail human nature, which He had taken to Himself; and also reverencing the memory, first, of the glorious Mary, ever Virgin, Mother of the same our God and Lord Jesus Christ: as also . . .

Sing ye to the Lord, who mounteth above the heaven of heavens to the East, alleluia.

POSTCOMMUNION.--Grant to us, we beseech Thee, almighty and merciful God, that we may obtain the invisible effects of that which we have shared by communion in visible Mysteries. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost . . .

NOVENA PRECEDING THE FEAST OF PENTECOST

To all faithful who devoutly participate at a public Novena held in honor of the Holy Ghost, is granted: Indulgence of 10 years each day. -- Plenary, if they were present at least five times at these exercises, under the usual conditions, and with a prayer for the intention of His Holiness.
To those, however, who shall perform privately these exercises, with the intention to do so nine consecutive days, is granted: Indulgence of 7 years, once a day. -- Plenary, on the usual conditions, for the complete novena and if they are hindered by any reasonable cause from performing this exercise in public.. -- P. P. O. n. 263.